B.P. and the Gulf spill?

[High_Side]

Is anyone else following this tragedy? Does it remind you of the same B.P. that killed 15 people in 2005 in Texas?

Discuss.

[High_Side]

Wow, I could have sworn that there would be at least a slight interest in this subject....

[fireguzzi]

Well, I don't really know what to say except that I find it very depressing! I can't believe they dont' even have a half assed plan much less a proven plan to stop this oil from pumping out! It just seems to be a completely hopeless situation. To be honest, Im just mostly speechless. I don't think the true magnitude of the problems it is going to cause is really sinking in yet.

[Johnj]

Wait till they get the bill for damages.

[dr_bar]

My desktop has a picture of the Gulf on it from last summer's trip through Corpus Christi. I can't believe that that area will have to deal with a man made disaster now, especially after dealing with the hurricanes that have rolled through there in past years...

[obfg]

I thought I heard on the news that in other Jurisdictions, an automatic shot off valve at the well head was a requirement. However that was not required in U.S. waters. So I am thinking that since BP is drilling all over the world and in some places the valve would be required, why would they not instal one on their US drilling sites. What would it cost, 1/10 of a cent per barrel. Is this a case of "penny wise and pound foolish" or maybe they just don't give a damn. And before we castigate BP as being totally responsible, consider that the govt would have mandated what safety equipment is required. What venal politician(s) got what to limit the safety requirements.

[HYPERR]

Is anyone else following this tragedy? Does it remind you of the same B.P. that killed 15 people in 2005 in Texas?

Discuss.

This is absolutely dispicable stuff.

It reminded me of the Exxon Valdez spill when that intoxicated piece of dodo caused unfathomable damage to the Ocean, Alaskan wildlife, and our planet.

Another thing that makes me cringe is the potential for disaster in the Caspian Basin.
We now know that there is a humongous oil reserve sleeping under the Caspian Sea(world's largest lake). All the greedy countries surrounding the Caspian Basin are fighting over it all trying to claim it. Russia and Iran are bitterly fighting over it, claiming they are the only ones with the technology to "safely extract" the oil. This is really scary stuff. If that isn't bad enough, now China is trying to exploit one of the 'stans(Turkmenistan & Tajikistan in particular) to build a oil pipeline from the Caspian Basin to China.
This is an oil reserve under the largest lake on our planet. Any mistake and the consequences will be disastrous. Failure is not an option.

[BuzZz]

I thought I heard on the news that in other Jurisdictions, an automatic shot off valve at the well head was a requirement. However that was not required in U.S. waters. So I am thinking that since BP is drilling all over the world and in some places the valve would be required, why would they not instal one on their US drilling sites. What would it cost, 1/10 of a cent per barrel. Is this a case of "penny wise and pound foolish" or maybe they just don't give a damn. And before we castigate BP as being totally responsible, consider that the govt would have mandated what safety equipment is required. What venal politician(s) got what to limit the safety requirements.

I am not sure about US regulations, but here in Canada, you must have B.O.P.'s (Blow Out Preventer... basically an auto shut-off) on every wellhead. I would bet that the US requires them too. But that wellhead would have been on the platform that sunk, not on the ocean floor. Once that wellhead went deep six, so did any control over that well.

However, in this hemishere, oil reserves are not generally under pressure, and when they are, it is only for a short time when the well is first drilled. That pressure drops to nothing fast, then we have to pump the oil up. Unless they are manipulating that zone underground somehow (water injection, fireflood, CO2 injection or other) that oil should want to stay where it is deep in the rock. So I wonder why it is still flowing......

[fireguzzi]

Thats a damn good question.

[High_Side]

It may be too obvious, but how about density?